SmarterSelect

What Is SmarterSelect?

SmarterSelect is a powerful tool for managing applications, developed ideally for organizations like schools, nonprofits, and businesses. It systemizes workflows with user-friendly features, saving time and improving decision-making. It is structured to cater to diverse needs such as scholarships, grants, and awards, ensuring seamless management and adaptability. SmarterSelect supports users in focusing on impactful outcomes while efficiently handling complex application processes with ease and reliability.

What Is SmarterSelect Best For? 

The platform stands out for its evaluation tools. It makes reviewing applications far less time-consuming with customizable scoring rubrics, multi-stage reviews, automated score calculations, and organized evaluator groups. Reviewers can also leave comments and notes directly within the system. This helps teams stay aligned without juggling spreadsheets or long email threads. 

How Much Does SmarterSelect Cost?

SmarterSelect price starts at $2,000/year for the Create plan. Suitable for up to 500 users, it offers features like online evaluation, file attachment, and unliminted programs. 

Other plans include: 

• Enhance – $5,000/year 
• Enterprise – $7,500/year 

In addition to the base subscription costs, organizations should account for the following potential expenses: 

• Implementation And Program Configuration: $500–$5,000 for small organizations; $5,000–$25,000+ for enterprise-level deployments with complex workflows 
• Data Migration And Historical Records Import: $1,000–$10,000, depending on applicant volume, legacy data quality, and cleanup requirements 
• Staff, Reviewer, And Administrator Training: $500–$5,000, based on onboarding scope and number of evaluators 
• SSO, CRM, Zapier, And API Integrations: $2,000–$15,000, depending on authentication requirements and integration complexity 
• Custom Workflow Automation And Scoring Logic: $2,000–$20,000+, based on approval flows, conditional logic, and evaluation requirements 
• White-Label Branding And Custom Portal Development: $1,000–$8,000, depending on branding and UI customization needs 
• Premium Support And Dedicated Success Services: $1,000–$6,000/year 

User reviews generally describe SmarterSelect pricing as affordable for nonprofits and scholarship programs. However, some smaller organizations note that higher-tier licensing can become expensive as program needs expand. 

Disclaimer: The pricing is subject to change. 

SmarterSelect Integrations 

SmarterSelect has integration arrangements with different third-party systems and apps via Zapier. These include: 

• Dropbox DocSend 
• Mailchimp software 
• HubSpot 
• Asana 
• Trello software 
• Salesforce 
• Evernote Teams 

How Does SmarterSelect Work? 

After logging in to your SmarterSelect account, follow the steps given below to learn how you use its features: 

• Set up scholarship, grant, or award programs using built-in setup tools and pre-configured templates from the ‘Program Library’ 
• Build custom application forms with conditional logic that adjusts questions based on applicant responses
• Configure scoring rules and calculation formulas to help reduce manual review effort during the evaluation process
• Request recommendation letters directly through the platform with automated email notifications for recommenders
• Assign evaluators to review applications using custom scoring rubrics, including optional blind review settings
• Track applicant progress, reviewer activity, and submission statuses throughout the application cycle
• Manage award decisions, update recipient statuses, and communicate outcomes to applicants through the platform

Who Is SmarterSelect For? 

SmarterSelect software is primarily designed for organizations and institutions that need to manage application processes efficiently. This includes entities involved in scholarship, award, grant, and program management. It serves a range of users, such as: 

• Nonprofit organizations 
• Schools 
• Universities 
• Foundations 
• Businesses offering scholarships or awards 

SmarterSelect Use Cases 

Based on our analysis of user feedback and SmarterSelect’s current capabilities, we have identified key scenarios where this software is a good fit for organizations managing structured application and evaluation programs: 

Foundations Running Annual Scholarship And Financial Aid Cycles 

Community foundations and nonprofit organizations managing recurring scholarship programs often work with large applicant pools, volunteer reviewers, and strict review timelines. Many teams adopt SmarterSelect to keep submissions, recommendation letters, evaluator feedback, and award decisions within one organized review environment. This operational setup is especially useful for smaller administrative teams overseeing seasonal funding initiatives with limited internal resources. 

Grant Programs Managing Multi-Stage Evaluation Workflows 

SmarterSelect is frequently used by grant-making organizations that need to coordinate several layers of application review before funding decisions are finalized. It helps teams organize eligibility screening, committee evaluations, and approval stages within a single workflow instead of relying on disconnected spreadsheets or email threads. This structure is particularly valuable for programs involving multiple reviewers, external advisors, and recurring funding cycles. 

Universities Coordinating Reviews Across Multiple Scholarship Committees 

Universities managing several scholarship funds or departmental awards often need different committees to review applications simultaneously while following separate evaluation criteria. SmarterSelect helps academic institutions organize these parallel review processes within a single system, reducing the administrative burden of tracking applications across departments. Reviewers can score applicants, leave internal comments, and collaborate without duplicating records or switching between disconnected tools 

Fellowship And Outreach Initiatives Handling Recurring Applicant Intake 

SmarterSelect works well for organizations running recurring fellowship, mentorship, internship, or outreach programs that require repeatable application processes throughout the year. Administrators can manage changing eligibility criteria, rotating evaluator groups, and participant selection workflows without rebuilding systems for every intake cycle. This makes it a practical option for nonprofits and educational organizations overseeing multiple community-based initiatives simultaneously. 

Is SmarterSelect Right For You?

If you are looking to replace spreadsheet-driven application reviews with a more structured evaluation workflow, SmarterSelect is the right choice. It suits organizations of various sizes and types, particularly those involved in managing scholarships, grants, and awards. It serves schools, nonprofits, government bodies, and corporations by simplifying the process of collecting, evaluating, and managing applications.  The software also supports FERPA- and GDPR-related compliance workflows, which makes it suitable for institutions handling sensitive applicants and student-related information.

Are you still not satisfied with whether SmarterSelect is the right choice for you? Contact us at (661) 384-7070 to talk to our customer support team for guidance.